Paper Girl
by xinaidebenihime
Summary: While looking for a book, a dark-haired metalhead bumps into a petite blunette. Gajevy Fluff. Modern AU. OneShot.


_**A/N:** After reading a post, I couldn't get this idea out of my head._

 _ **Rating:** K+ - mild language_

 _ **Pairing:** Gajevy/GaLe_

 _ **Summary:** While looking for a book, a dark-haired metalhead bumps into a petite bluenette…ModernAU._

 _ **Word Count:** 2,203_

* * *

Gajeel didn't even know why he was here.

Well…technically he did. I mean, you can only try to ignore your best friend for so long before she throws a soggy book at your head to get your attention and make you get a replacement.

Why did he have to replace it? It wasn't like he'd soaked the damn thing anyway. Juvia had gotten to a sad part or somethin' cause the next thing he knew she was crying up a waterfall.

He wasn't even joking.

Blaming Gajeel for getting her hooked on the series—he hadn't known what he was doing, he'd found a book with a cover that resembled the guy she was currently fawning and bought it for her birthday—she'd sent him out to find a replacement copy since hers was torn to shreds.

So here he was, wandering all over Magnolia trying to find the damn book.

Who knew it'd be so hard to replace?

It had already been a week, and even with all the asking around he was no closer to finding it. Finally, one bookkeeper pointed him toward a new and used bookshop on the outskirts of town called _Air._

Looking up at the sign Gajeel frowned.

 _What a dumb name. What the hell does that have to do with scribbling down words on paper anyway?_

Walking into the last bookstore in town, Gajeel shoved his hands deep into his pockets. The chains on his jeans rattled, a sound that he was all too aware of as he took in his surroundings.

This shop was tiny.

He was one of three people that he could see wandering around the shop. The books were piled high—lots in stacks instead of on shelves—and the smell of aged paper and ink reached his nostrils. With so few people around, Gajeel was very aware of the _thunks_ his boots made as he trudged to the fantasy section.

He was suddenly very uncomfortable.

Curling more into himself, he kept his gaze low as he found the _H'_ s. Scanning each and every spine—some brand new, some hard cover, others cracked and broken—his heart spiked as he found the name he was looking for.

Snatching it from its spot, Gajeel examined the cover, and then the description. It was a different printing, but had the same style of guy on the front and the summary seemed to ring a bell.

Relieved that he wouldn't have to travel to the next town to keep looking, the metalhead turned back the way he came and attempted to navigate back to the entrance to find the checkout.

"It's not here…"

A soft voice reached his ears. Any other day he would have headphones in, but Juvia had thrown him out of their apartment so fast today he hadn't had time to grab them. He loved her and all—she was his best friend—but sometimes she was a really sucky roommate.

And any other day, he would've ignored the voice and thought nothing of it. But this one was different, he'd heard it before somewhere.

Peeking back over his shoulder, his eyes fell on a petite figure.

Baby blue hair cascaded down her back in large waves, having been pulled back by a light orange headband. Red glasses rested on the bridge of a small, upturned nose, and a blue pen was nestled between her lips. From the movement of her jaw, Gajeel could see she was unconsciously biting down on it.

He saw as her fingers came into contact with an empty space on the bookshelf. Her brow furrowed as she stood back up—though with how short she was in the first place, there wasn't much of a difference between her standing, and her leaning down. The pout that crossed her features was so adorable that Gajeel felt the corner of his mouth turn up involuntarily.

"Didn't you say you had a copy?" she called.

A few moments later, a blonde rounded the corner and settled next to the blue-haired girl. Sporting a tight tank top and a mini skirt, the blonde left little to the imagination. With the rack he had though, he was surprised she could stand up at all. Jeeze.

"Yeah…we did…it was right here." The blonde eyed the empty spot, frowning. "I guess someone else got to it first."

The petite woman visibly deflated, bringing up a hand to cover her face. Her friend wrapped an arm around her shoulders in a side hug.

"You'll get it back, Levy," she said softly, rubbing her shoulder.

"I hope so."

Leaving the two behind—more confused now than he'd been before—Gajeel walked back and found the cash. In the few minutes it had taken him to get there, the blonde he'd seen before was now at the cash register.

Doing his best to look like he belonged, Gajeel cracked open the worn copy of the book he'd just grabbed.

There was a handwritten message.

 _Levy,_

 _Books are powerful things. They take you to a different world when you find yours to be too much._

 _I buy this for you so you won't be sad when I'm gone._

 _I love you._

 _Dad._

Gajeel's heart sank. There was no way he could buy this book for Juvia…not with something like that written in it.

Turning back to return the book, Gajeel didn't notice until it was too late that there was someone standing behind him. One crash and clatter later, he found himself facing the blue-haired girl he'd seen only a minute ago.

Flustered and rubbing her head, the girl flipped onto her hands and knees to collect the books she'd dropped. Leaning down to help, Gajeel tucked the book into the back of his jeans. With both of his hands free, he lifted the large stack of books in one hand, and offered the other to the girl.

With the glasses gone, Gajeel got a look at her eyes.

They were beautiful.

Shining with an naïvety that countered a hard strength, with one look he could see more about her than he ever could have thought possible. She intrigued him, and there was something so familiar about her…he found himself wanting to get to know her.

He watched as she took in his appearance. With all the studs, scars, and black he was sporting—not to mention his eyes that always seemed to appear blood red for some weird reason—he wouldn't be surprised if she took off in the other direction.

But she took his hand instead.

"Thank you," she smiled, taking his hand. Helping her up, Gajeel grunted back at her in response.

 _Yeah, real smooth there dumbass._

Cocking her head to one side, the blue-haired girl pulled her glasses back down and began to study his face.

"You look familiar," she murmured, musing to herself.

"Yeah," Gajeel grumbled, "you do too."

Her eyes narrowed shut. Pressing the heel of her hand to her forehead, Gajeel watched as she bounced on her heels.

"I can't remember," she sighed.

"Me neither."

Looking back at him again, Levy suddenly noticed that he was holding her stack of novels.

"Oh no! I'm so sorry, you shouldn't be holding those!" She reached for them, but Gajeel held them out of her reach.

"Not a chance shrimp. I got it." Holding the stack out of her reach, Gajeel smiled internally as she crossed her arms in front of her chest in a small pout.

"Next!"

Noticing now that he was at the front of the line, Gajeel side stepped to allow the blue-haired girl to go first.

"No…I—"

Gajeel grunted and jutted his chin toward the blonde at the counter. Flushed, she brushed past him as he set her stack of books down on the counter. Waiting his own turn, he began to tap his heel unconsciously, arms crossed.

Gathering her bag, the blunette turned to go. Offering a shy smile to Gajeel on her way, the metalhead's stomach sank. He knew her. He knew he did. He needed to get to know her to find out.

Pulling the novel from the back of his jeans, he set it down on the counter. The blonde that had been there before was now gone—at some point between the girl paying and leaving, she'd swapped out—and some pink-haired dude stood in his place.

"Flamebrain?"

"Fucking hell…Gajeel? What're you doing here?" the pinkette groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Buying a book," he grunted, slapping down a bill. Natsu was _not_ someone he needed to be running into while on an errand like this. In fact, he wouldn't let him live it down if he found out just how badly Juvia bossed him around.

"Since when do you read?" he asked, scanning the barcode. Ringing through Gajeel's change, he stuck the receipt in the front cover before handing it to him.

"I don't. Since when do you work somewhere like this? Shouldn't they have done a background check before hiring a pyro to work in a bookstore?" Gajeel smirked, snatching his purchase away.

"One time, Gajeel! That was one time! And it was an accident!" Natsu growled, and Gajeel chuckled. Never failed to get a rise out of him.

Ignoring the pyro's mumbled rambling, the black-haired man started for the door but was stopped by Natsu calling after him.

"Yo! Metalhead!"

Gajeel snapped back around.

A small blue object was tossed at him, and he snatched it out of the air. It had a bit of weight to it, and the jangle of coins caught his attention. Why was Natsu giving this to him?

The pinkette gestured toward the door with his chin, "It's Levy's."

Gajeel's brow furrowed.

"The blue-haired girl who just left? Can you get it to her? She should still be close by waiting for the bus." Another customer came up to the cash register then, diverting Natsu's attention.

Grumbling to himself, Gajeel set his hand on the door and walked out.

" _You steal that and I_ will _burn your face off!"_

 _Shut up, Natsu._

Shuffling toward the closest bus stop, Gajeel absentmindedly began tossing the sac of cash up before catching it. Mumbling to himself about Natsu being an idiot, it took a moment for it to register.

 _Levy._

Opening the book in his hands, he re-read the inscription again.

 _Holy shit._

Taking off, Gajeel sprinted for the bus stop, praying she wasn't gone already. It was a good block and a half away—how the hell had she gotten there so quickly if he was only a few minutes behind her?—and he found himself out of breath as he rounded the last corner.

Sitting on a bench with her face in a book, sat the girl.

 _Levy._

Catching his breath, he was unable to form words and opted to hand her the book instead. When she finally noticed him, and then the book, she smiled sweetly.

"You know, usually guys buy me a drink, but this is a first. Gotta say I like this." There was a tentative flirtatious tone to her voice as a blush crossed her features. He could tell she was teasing.

 _Damn did she look cute._

Holding the book out to her again, she finally took in the cover as her eyes widened. Taking the novel delicately in her hands, Gajeel watched as she opened up the cover and read the words inside. Tears pricked her eyes, and in that moment Gajeel knew that she was the right Levy.

"H-how?" she looked back up to him.

Gajeel just smiled slightly, crossing his arms before tossing the change purse to her as well.

"Just like you said, I didn't have a drink. So I bought you a book."

She laughed. Holding the tomb to her chest, she let out a sigh of relief.

Satisfied with himself, Gajeel turned to go, but once again was forced to turn around when that gentle voice touched his ears again.

"I'm Levy," she said softly.

"Gajeel," he grunted, looking back at her.

"Gajeel," she repeated, sounding out the syllables. Beaming up at him, the blunted stood, grabbing her book bag as the bus pulled up.

Pulling a pen from behind her ear—Gajeel recognized it as the one she'd been chewing on before—Levy grabbed his hand and began scribbling on his forearm.

"Well, Gajeel," she muttered, concentrating, "you bought me a book. So…if you ever want—"

Pulling back and returning the pen back to its original home, Gajeel got one last look at her face before she turned for the bus.

"—I'll buy you a piercing sometime."

With a wide grin, Levy disappeared through the doors, leaving Gajeel alone on the sidewalk with a newly acquired number on his arm.

Blinking, the man's stomach then sank.

 _Ah shit. So much for bringing back a book._

Looking at the numbers written on his arm, Gajeel found himself smiling _again._ He could always find another copy of that book for Juvia.

Who knows, maybe he could even ask Levy to help him.

 _If Juvia doesn't end up killing me first._

* * *

 _Ahhhh, I feel so much better._

 _Feel free to drop a review :)_

 _-xinaidebenihime_


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